US Potato Starch prices moved higher in early March following a largely stable February, as buyers shifted from cautious restocking to selective spot procurement, creating modest upward momentum in the market. The price increase occurred despite steady supply availability from Europe and Canada, while adequate inventories at Northeast ports continued to allow buyers flexibility in replenishment decisions. Demand from the food sector remained the primary support, particularly from gluten-free bakery products, processed meat applications, snack manufacturing, and pet food formulations, while paper and packaging demand remained stable without generating additional buying pressure. Domestic consumption continued to account for the majority of market demand, with imports covering the remaining balance and maintaining overall supply continuity. No plant outages or major logistical disruptions were reported, and regular European shipments kept availability comfortable. Looking ahead, market direction remains cautiously firm. However, restrained restocking may limit gains unless geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran raise crude-linked energy, freight, and insurance costs, tightening landed pricing further.
Selenis has effectively manufactured recycled PET chips using terephthalic acid sourced from Circ®, a textile-to-textile recycler based in Virginia. The chip production took place through a series of batches at Selenis' pilot plant in San-Giorgio, Italy. By utilizing inputs recovered from polycotton textile waste, Selenis has created high-quality PET chip, which has been further processed into DTY yarn. This yarn will play a crucial role in product development as Circ prepares for additional capsule launches. Selenis is leveraging the success of this initial collaboration phase and is committed to advancing towards an offtake partnership to support Circ's inaugural industrial facility.
Eduardo Santos, Head of Corporate Strategy at Selenis, remarked that the monomer synthesis showed a performance comparable to virgin terephthalic acid. He expressed optimism about the consistent quality of Circ's monomer output and anticipated future commercial success. Santos pointed out that the Circ partnership complements Selenis's existing mission and goals for a more sustainable textile industry. He further stated their anticipation of expanding upon this collaboration and providing support for Circ's forthcoming commercial production trials.
